


Day and Dark Difference

by NoirAngel011



Series: Snapshots Of The March Girls; From 1861 To 1865 [2]
Category: Little Women Series - Louisa May Alcott
Genre: Almost Drowing, Apologies, Other, Please Don't Hate Me, Sibling Rivalry, Sisters
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-11
Updated: 2019-12-11
Packaged: 2021-02-25 05:01:11
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,793
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21750448
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/NoirAngel011/pseuds/NoirAngel011
Summary: Jo and Amy, and the steps they take to find common ground.Amy deserved a better character arc, instead of just being a brat. So here’s that character growth through Jo’s eyes. Based on the 2017 miniseries.
Relationships: Amy March & Josephine March
Series: Snapshots Of The March Girls; From 1861 To 1865 [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1566445
Comments: 1
Kudos: 8





	Day and Dark Difference

She was so mad, she could have punched something.

Well, she did. And it didn’t help her anger. Now she just felt worse. Of course her terrible temper had gotten in the way again. She hadn’t meant to hit Amy, she just got so desperately angry.

Her writing had meant so much to her, and Amy had ruined years of work. Years she had been writing that novel, and Amy destroyed it. 

“And I don’t blame her, so don’t look to me for comfort.” Jo heard Meg say to Amy as she stormed out of the room, racing into her bedroom.

Beth and Meg were there a second later, trying to calm her down. She hugged her horsehair pillow tightly, ranting.

“I will never write again!”

They all knew that was a lie. There was nothing in this world that could keep Jo from writing. But temporarily, she was determined to never touch pen to paper again.

She was so mad at Amy. She said that she didn’t love her anymore. She regretted it terribly. She shouldn’t have been so stubborn, but she always was. She always lost control and got very angry so, so quickly.

When Amy fell through the ice, she freaked out. She got over her anger at Amy, because when it came down to it, she couldn’t let her sister die. She remembered the conversation she had with Laurie after.

“No matter what you think, Jo, you do love her.”

“I do not. What she did to me is unforgivable.”

“You saved her today, you really do care.”

“I couldn’t let her die. That does not mean I love her.”

“You do, I’ve seen it. You care. You proved that today.”

“What would you know!”

“You care for and love her the same way you do Beth and Meg. She’s your little sister.”

“I couldn’t be responsible if she died, that by no means insinuates that I’m no longer angry at her.”

“You may not be over your anger, but you love her. Do not deny that.”

“I will never be over this anger. Her very presence in the room enrages me.”

“You will. Someday you’ll come to the realization that you are being stubborn.”

“I am not being too stubborn!’

“You are. If Beth were to burn your book you wouldn't be nearly as angry. It’s favoritism.”   
“Beth isn’t stupid enough to burn my most valuable possession because she didn’t get what she wanted. Amy is a most spoiled brat.”

“Do you ever think that maybe you were being a tad bit unkind when you said Amy couldn’t go?”   
“I was being very reasonable! She couldn’t go!”

“Very well, no need to get cross.”

“I do not have a favorite among my sisters. I simply tolerate Amy less.”

“Beth is your favorite. She always has been. Do not pretend she is not.”

Jo huffed, blowing her hair out of her face. They were upstairs in the garret, and had been arguing back and forth for going on half an hour. Jo was laying on her old couch, Laurie sat on the floor in front of her. She was holding a book, trying to read, but Laurie always seemed to want to fight with her when she was looking for quiet.

“Could you two please quiet down! The screaming is much unnecessary,” they heard from the bottom of the stairs.

“Yes Marmee!” both called back in unison.

“You have a favorite. Just drop the act and admit it.”

Jo was fed up with Laurie’s insistence on her having a favorite sister.

“Oww!” He cried out as he was smacked over the head with Jo’s hardback copy of Pride & Prejudice.

“What was that for?”

“Drop it, Teddy. I don’t want to fight anymore. It’s been an eventful day.”

And so the topic was dropped. 

Maybe deep down Jo knew she was being stubborn and unforgiving, but she wasn’t about to admit that. Amy might have apologized for burning her book, but everyone knew it was very fake and forced. She would wait for a real apology, whether it took days, weeks, or possibly years.

She did not expect that apology so soon. Only a few days of the silent treatment, and Amy was running up the steps to the garret.

“Jo, I want to talk.” She stood at the top of the stairs, holding onto the banister. Jo was at her desk, scribbling something down on a paper. Amy smiled, all she wanted was for her and her sister to go back to normal. Seeing her writing when she said she never would was a step in the correct direction.

“Not right now, Amy. I’m busy.” was the response. Her hand never stopped moving.

“Please! It’s really important,” Amy jumped up and down once, causing Jo to put down her pen and turn around.

“Don’t jump up here. It shakes the house.” Her expression was annoyed, upset to be interrupted in her work.

Amy looked down at the ground, thinking of what to say. She had this entire conversation rehearsed in her head, but now that she was face to face with Jo, she became nervous and forgot everything.

“What’s the matter? I do not have time for you to stare at your shoes.” Jo crossed her arms over her chest.

“I am very, very sorry. Desperately sorry.” Amy looked up, finally meeting Jo’s eyes. It felt like her icy blue gaze was bearing into her, picking her apart piece by piece.

Jo sighed. She knew she couldn’t stay mad forever, and here Amy was, of her own accord, apologizing to her. 

She didn’t say anything, but beckoned Amy over with the motion of her hand. She turned around, back to her work.

It took Amy and moment to convince her legs to move, she was so jittery. She couldn’t tell if Jo was still mad at her or not. Her best guess was that Jo was extremely angry with her and trying not to lash out.

Jo turned around to face her once more after wiping the ink off her pen before it dried out and became difficult to remove.

Very shockingly to Amy, Jo stood up and wrapped her arms around her younger sister, hugging her tightly. Amy hugged back in a mix of thankfulness and surprise. A hug was the last thing she had expected from her sister. 

“I was so very stupid to be so angry at you. I’m the one who should be sorry.” She let go of Amy and led her over to the ratty old couch. They both took a seat.

“I was the one who was stupid enough to let my angry destroy what you had worked so hard for.” Amy reached for Jo’s hand, and she let her take it.

“I wish I hadn't said the things I did. I’m sorry for hitting you, you did not deserve to be the outlet I took my anger out of. And I’m sorry for saying that I didn’t love you anymore, because I could never stop loving you, even If I tried.”

Amy could see the tears welling up in Jo’s eyes. She leaned down, resting her face in her hands.

“Jo, please. Don’t cry. It’s okay, really! I forgive you,” Amy gently ran her fingers through Jo’s hair. She tried to do the things that Beth would do in this situation, even if she wasn’t well versed in comforting people.

Jo sniffed, wiping at her eyes to dry them.

“I’m sorry Amy. I’m just overwhelmed with emotion right now,” Jo said, wrapping an arm around Amy’s waist.

“No more apologies. We could drag on until the sun sets.” Amy shook her head.

“So, are we okay now?” Jo asked, wiping at her eyes again.

“Yes, I'm okay as long as you’re okay.” Amy nodded.

Jo smiled at her, for the first time in the past few weeks, and Amy smiled right back.

The next month, it was Jo who asked Amy to a play.

“Amy?” She knocked her knuckles lightly on Amy’s bedroom door.

No response.

“Amy?” She called again.

“Amy?! Are you okay in there?” her voice was tinting on frantic, concerned for her sister. She had gone into her room a quarter until four and never come out. It half past five now, and almost time for supper.

“Yes! I’m here! Come in, please!” Amy called back, leaning back from her vanity to be in Jo’s view from her doorway.

Jo smiled at her. She was sitting at her vanity, taking the curling papers out of her hair. Amy smiled back.

“What is that smile all about?” Amy asked, untying a paper from her hair, revealing a soft blonde curl.

“Well, I know I was very mean to you when I refused to take you to the theater, so I wanted to make it up to you, Amy.” She pulled out two pieces of paper from behind her back, holding them out to the younger girl.

“You got us tickets to An Enemy Of The People?!” Amy squealed, jumping up from her seat. She threw herself at her sister, hugging her waist tightly.

“I know how badly you wanted to go out,” Jo rested a hand on the top of Amy’s head.

“I have the best sister in the whole world,” Amy mumbled to herself, still making sure that Jo could hear her.

“Meg is a pretty amazing sister,” she joked back, letting Amy pull away from the hug.

“Not Meg, you, silly!” Amy giggled, hitting her arm gently. Jo laughed back.

“I know, I know.” Jo twirled one of Amy’s curls around her finger, lost in thought.

Jo helped Amy remove the rest of her curling papers, bouncy, perfect curls falling around her shoulders. Jo had never been one for curls, hardly brushing her hair some days.

Amy looked in the mirror, looking back at her sister standing behind her.

“I was wrong before, your hair could never be your one beauty. I believe was just jealous you obviously got the good looks in the family.”

“Don’t say that, you’re beautiful too.” Jo ran her fingers gingerly through Amy’s curls.

“Besides, you have prettier eyes than the other three of us combined,” she whispered into Amy’s ear, bending down so that her chin was hovering over Amy’s left shoulder. 

Amy giggled, shaking her head.

“Let’s just say we’re both equally pretty,” She smiled at Jo in the mirror, Jo smiling back.

“Sure. We’ll say that.” Jo laughed. “Now do you want to get ready. An Enemy Of The People starts in three hours.”

Amy nodded her head enthusiastically, hopping up from her stool and running over to her wardrobe, Jo running after her, both girls caught up in giggles.


End file.
